New Cooking Channel Premieres on May 31

The producers of Scripps Networks Inc.- the parent of Food Network- announced recently the birth of a new cooking channel called, appropriately, the Cooking Channel. It will replace the ailing Fine Living Channel on May 31st.

The Cooking Channel will be geared to a younger and hipper set of foodies than the Food Network, which has devolved into big dollops of "how to cook with cans of mushroom soup" served on a bed of cake challenges.

The Cooking Channel corrals existing food shows from around the globe as well as developing new ones. The lineup as announced includes:

Foodography

Mo Rocca, of CBS Sunday Morning, hosts this new show highlighting traditional foodways. The series looks at both the history of food and current day applications, tying the two together while discussing why we eat what we eat.

David Rocco's Dolce Vita

David Rocco has provided eye candy to Canadian foodies for several years on Food Network Canada. David is a former model turned Italian cook. The show revolves around David and his wife's move back to Italy from Canada and the couple's food adventures while there.

Cook Like an Iron Chef with Michael Symon

The winner of the first The Next Iron Chef competition, Michael Symon stars in this how-to cooking show that premieres in July. The show will bring in several of Michael's cohorts from Iron Chef America, including both Iron Chefs and challengers, to give some inside tips on cooking on the fly under pressure.

Food Jammers

Another Food Network Canada production, Food Jammers is like Mythbusters tackle food. The three hosts do a great impression of engineering school drop outs as they "invent" cooking utensils and tools from materials available around them. Sometimes the food turns out appealing and edible. Other times, not so much. But a fun and interesting show for those who don't take cooking too seriously.

Indian Food Made Easy

This BBC cooking show features well known personality and cook, Anjum Anand. Anand is the author of several Indian cookbooks and adapts traditional Indian cuisine for health-conscious, time-constrained home cooks. One of the many ethnic cooking how-to shows that will make it into the lineup on the Cooking Channel. It is something that Food Network fans have complained about for a long time- the lack of how-to-cook shows that the network promised when it first launched.

Spice Goddess

Bal Arneson hosts this show focusing on herbs and spices. It is also Indian-focused but will feature other cuisines as well. A great way to learn what to do with the little jars of spices hiding in your cupboard.